Optical sensor with interferometer for sensing external physical disturbance of optical communications link
US7667849B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 13, 2006 |
| Grant date | Feb 23, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 13, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04B10/2587
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An optical sensing method transmits radiation from a source onto an optical link, the radiation being passed through an unbalanced interferometer connected between the source and the link. The radiation which is reflected back and has travelled through a portion of the link which is subject to an external disturbance is received and passed through the same unbalanced interferometer. A detector is used to detect the radiation that has returned through the unbalanced interferometer. To improve sensitivity, the unbalanced interferometer includes a coupler for coupling radiation to the detector, the coupler being an N ×N coupler where N is an integer greater or equal to 3.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.